A NEW hot suburb has emerged in Brisbane and families from everywhere want in.
The once sleepy Kedron has come alive, bringing a new generation of people to the city’s north.
Wilson Prestige Property principal Libby Cruice said Kedron was undergoing a transformation to become one of Brisbane’s trendiest suburbs.
“There are three times as many people clicking on Kedron properties online than in other areas of Queensland,” she said.
Realestate.com.au describes it as a “high-demand market”.
The average Queensland property is clicked on 256 times, compared to 786 in Kedron.
While its popularity is still less than the likes of Paddington (1058 clicks), it is now more popular than New Farm (603) and Bulimba (524).
Located about 7kms from the Brisbane CBD, Kedron is filled with old Queenslanders and workers cottages.
Ms Cruice said improved public transport links to the city and its proximity to Chermside had increased its desirability.
Residential properties rule the roost in Kedron, with the exception of the car yards and specialty restaurants that line Gympie Rd.
But a handful of cafes are starting to make their mark on the backstreets, bringing with them a village-type feel.
Sue and Avner Danielli opened The Fuzzy Duck cafe in May 2015, taking over from Little Pawpaw Cafe.
Mrs Danielli said its location on Kitchener Rd had helped contribute to its success.
“If it was on Gympie Rd it wouldn’t work,” she said.
“We’re smuggled right in the middle of suburbia.”
The Fuzzy Duck Cafe is located in a strip of just two shops.
It’s a common sight throughout Kedron, where small local businesses are found dotted throughout the residential backstreets.
Molly’s House daycare and kindergarten opened its doors on Turner Rd almost 10 years ago.
It was named after the former owner of the house, who built it with her husband.
Director Julie Wilson said a lot of couples and families were moving into Kedron because of the nearby schools.
“Families are almost looking at the bigger picture of life, they’re looking around for secondary schools as well as primary,” she said.
Padua College, St Anthony’s Primary School, Mount Alvernia College are all located within a stone’s of each other and just down the road from Molly’s House.
Ms Wilson said the children spent a lot of time at the St Anthony’s campus, visiting the library and buying food from the tuckshop.
“We like the children to be seen in the area, they like to be out and about,” she said.
Kedron State High School and Kedron State School are situated on the eastern side of Gympie Rd.
The primary school opened in 1926.
Principal Susie Randel Kneipp — who has been at the helm for the past two years — said Kedron was a growing area.
“We have lots of enrolment inquiries because it is clearly a school that has a strong community reputation,” she said.
The school is one of many across Brisbane that has introduced a catchment zone to cap numbers.
More than 400 students are attending Kedron State School in 2016, with that figure expected to grow in 2017.
Ms Randel Kneipp said the school held several “old fashioned” events like fetes and movies under the stars throughout the year, designed to bring the community together.
“The school itself is nestled between 9th and 10th avenue — with our tree-lined ovals, traditional facilities and building structures, it actually makes the school feel like it’s part of the residential streets,” she said.
“We say we’re like a boutique school.”
Originally Published by: http://www.couriermail.com.au/